The final months of the year can make us feel like winding down - but to truly enjoy your time off during the holidays and have a successful start to the year, I encourage you to end the year strong.
It’s natural to have goals left, these last few months, and now is the time to inject some energy to see them through. Here are some tips for how to succeed in the last quarter of the year!
Look Back and Assess
Before you get busy planning the final quarter of the year, it’s a good idea to look back over the first three quarters. What has worked well so far? What hasn’t? How do you feel about where you are now?
You may find that you disagree with some of the goals you first set, or have found brand-new ones that you want to focus on. This shouldn’t feel like a change in direction, only a refocus - and it can be a welcome move!
Time for a Change
There’s no point in waiting until next year to change things you’re dissatisfied with. We have a tendency as people to like to start things on a fresh week, month, or year - but there’s no time like the present!
Make the most of these final months of the year to start that healthy habit you’ve been putting off, for example, so you can hit the ground running next year.
Eyes Up for Any Obstacles
The end of the year has a habit of throwing difficult tasks in your way. Whether that’s planning for the holidays, winter illnesses, or any other obstacle, make sure to factor that into your goal planning.
While we can’t always avoid obstacles, we can reduce their impact by increasing the amount of time we give to each task. Looking ahead to the end of the year, try to make any bumps in the road less stressful with some forward-planning.
Break Down The Year Into Chunks
If you have lots of goals left in your yearly plan, it might be worth breaking down the rest of the year into chunks, so you can focus on one goal at a time. For example, lets say you have six goals that you want to start or finish by the end of the year. Aim to tackle two of them each month, in October, November, and December.
However, you also shouldn’t feel bad if you need to leave some goals for next year. We never know how time will treat us, and it’s better to get one or two goals done right than push yourself too hard and not get any done at all.
Above all else, finish the year with confidence and kindness, knowing you did all you could to get your goals achieved!